Daniel's funeral plans in limbo

THE parents of Daniel Morcombe may not know for months when they can bury their son.

The lawyer for Daniel Morcombe's accused killer said yesterday he was yet to see any forensic evidence.

Tim Meehan, who is defending accused killer Brett Peter Cowan, said he had been given no timeline for when to expect forensic results from testing of evidence found at Daniel's gravesite in Glasshouse Mountains bushland.

The evidence includes the teenager's bones, clothing and shoes.

"Until we are in receipt of (the forensic material) and have had an opportunity to analyse that, we're not in a position to say what we will do with that and whether we want to undertake further tests," Mr Meehan said.

"We need full disclosure from the Crown. We need an opportunity to consider all of the evidence.

"Then we can start making decisions."

Mr Meehan said he had received 38 binders of material which made up "part" of the police brief on the case.

He said he would need a full brief before an application could be made to the Supreme Court for Mr Cowan's bail.

"We can't answer questions as to the relative strength of the Crown case until we have all of the material," Mr Meehan said.

Bruce and Denise Morcombe, who visited the Glasshouse Mountains site where Daniel's remains were found for a private farewell on Friday, hope to find out this week if they will be called as witnesses at their son's murder trial.

They will meet with Queensland's director of public prosecutions to request the earliest possible release of Daniel's remains so that he may be buried.

Mr Morcombe told the Daily that legal issues, including the potential for he and Denise to be called to the witness box, would also be discussed at the meeting.

The Morcombes, who attended every hearing of the coronial inquest, may not be allowed to sit in on a committal hearing if it is decided that they will need to give evidence.Mr Morcombe said he did not see any value in them giving evidence because neither saw Daniel leave home on December 7, 2003.

"If we are giving evidence ... we may not be able to sit in on the committal hearing because we will be witnesses at the trial," Mr Morcombe said.

Mr Cowan, 42, is charged with murder, deprivation of liberty, child stealing, indecent treatment of a child under 16 and interfering with a corpse. His matter is set to be mentioned in Brisbane Magistrates Court on December 12.